Erith 147 Sports has big ambitions to progress through the league's, says joint-manager Danny Joy

ERITH 147 SPORTS’ newly-appointed joint-manager Danny Joy says he wants to guide the club towards a top five finish in the NRG Gym Kent County League Premier Division next season.

 

The club, who share Tudor Sports’ Ivor Grove ground in New Eltham, finished in the bottom four under manager Andy Freeman, who has stepped down after fifteen years as manager to turn his hand to becoming the club’s chairman.

Joy, 32, a gas engineer from Bexleyheath, played Kent Youth League football for Welling United and VCD Athletic, before moving into the Vickers’ senior team. He then played for Phoenix Sports for five years, captaining the first team, before ending his playing days with brief spell at Crockenhill and Bexlians.

He was assistant manager for Ross Baker at Bexlians reserves three years ago.  The pair were then offered the role of running Bexlians’ first team in the Kent County League Division One West last season, eventually finishing in a disappointing fourth-place finish, despite challenging in the top two for most of the season.

Ross Baker, 31, is a gas fitter, who hails from Bexleyheath. He played for Dartford in the Kent Youth League, followed by spells at VCD Athletic, Phoenix Sports, Seven Acre & Sidcup, before finishing his playing career as the player-manager of Crockenhill’s reserve side.

The pair will be working tirelessly to help the club rise up the league table during their first season in charge.

“Myself and Ross Baker have known and played together from a very young age.  We have a good understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Joy.

“We always analyse games and we find that a joint-partnership allows us to bounce ideas off each other, hopefully making it twice as likely to get things right!

“We are both young and eager to make a name for ourselves in football management. This is shown in our attention to detail and the way our teams play.

“Next season we are hoping that, with a good pre-season and the club moving in the right direction, with the introduction of a reserve team which will increase the playing squad, we are looking for a minimum of a top five finish and a good cup run.

“We feel that being organised and well drilled on the field plays a big part in being successful in this competitive league.

“The clubs season seemed to fizzle out last year and despite reaching a cup final, it seemed the end of the season came at a good time for everyone.

“This season we hope to turn the clubs fortunes around by adding new coaching staff and methods as well as some new faces in the team.

“We hope that the organisation and enthusiasm we bring to the club as a management team will give the boys a much needed boost and a new hunger to succeed.”

Erith 147 Sports will be playing Erith & Belvedere during their pre-season campaign and Joy said: “We have eight pre-season friendlies booked with various clubs ranging from Kent County Division One, Kent Invicta and Erith & Belvedere from the Southern Counties East Football League, which is a big coup for our club.

“As far as we are concerned the only result that matters in pre-season is the last game as that’s the one we take into the league season, hopefully full of confidence.

“Pre-season for me and Ross being new at the club is going to be initially assessing the players we have available to us and trying to build a style and pattern of play, as well as working on different formations and building a strong team spirit.”

There will be five new clubs playing in the Kent Invicta League next season with AC London, APM Contrast, FC Elmstead, Forest Hill Park and Phoenix Sports’ reserve side making it a 20 team division for the first time.

Joy revealed that his club would like to play Step Six football in the near future.

He said: “In the next two years’ the club are looking to make the step into the Kent Invicta League.

“This may require us to look at ground sharing if Tudor Sports doesn’t meet the criteria but for now we need to establish ourselves once again as a top four or five Kent County Premier Division team.

“The club and its committee, like ourselves on the management team and the players have big ambitions to progress through the league's.

“Myself and Ross would like to thank Erith 147 Sports for the faith shown in us to allow this opportunity to manage at a higher level.

“Lastly, a special mention to Andy Freeman, who has kept the club going for the last 15 years.

“Andy has stepped down as the team’s manager to become the chairman and we look forward to working with him in the coming season.”